Websites and Blogs

Naming the Child- provided by the author of the book of the same name, has various resources, poetry, a memorial section, some stories, etc.Babies Remembered - very comprehensive site with extensive book list, collection of resources, news articles, pertinent legislation updates, medical studies, etc. Plus, the author is an international speaker to hospital groups and others on the subject of infant loss and bereavement.Coping Together - focuses on helping couples grieve together and understand different manifestations of griefPregnancy Loss Info - information about pregnancy loss including medical (presented sensitively), grieving, coping, conceiving again, and memorialsFaces of Loss, Faces of Hope - stories of pregnancy loss, stillbirth and infant loss all searchable by keywords; also forums and other resourcesHope for Healing - information about pregnancy loss doulasThe Amethyst Network - a network of doulas providing pregnancy loss supportNaomi's Circle - comprehensive site including stories of loss (miscarriage, stillbirth and infant loss), forums, resources, blog lists, etc. All Christian perspective.Still Life With Circles - the "Right Where I Am" project - over 160 links to women's stories of where they are in their grief, anywhere from a few weeks to over a decade.Hope in Miscarriage - Unique because it is written by a mother who lost twins in the first trimester, but at different gestations. Contains quite a lot of good practical information as well as additional resources.Stillbirthday - Fairly comprehensive site about miscarriage and stillbirth, similar to this one. There is a photographs page there as well.Prunci Pierduți Și Născuți Înainte De Vreme. O perspectivă Ortodoxă - (Lostbabiesand bornprematurely.AnOrthodoxPerspective) This site is more or less the Romanian equivalent of Lost Innocents but features some different stories and information. A great boon to the Romanian-speaking readers!Angel Babies: Information specifically about dealing with second and third trimester loss. Includes stories, information, a large page of helpful links, and a link to a blog with many, many examples of knitted, sewn and crocheted items for tiny babies.Life and Loss: A blog/site by a perinatal hospice nurse who has herself suffered loss. Excellent information for everyone but especially for those in the health care arena.

Services:

Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep - Free photography for infants born after 24 weeks either still or with terminal illness.Bev's Country Cottage Patterns - free patterns for shrouds, burial gowns, "cradles" (for tiny babies unable to be dressed) -sewn, crocheted or knit.Mikayla's Grace - donate money or materials to put together NICU boxes and memory boxesHeaven's Gain - caskets and other supplies for the burial of infants of every stage gestation.Something Precious - (Available only in UK) - tiny burial clothing, blankets, pouches, hats, etc. for babies starting at 6 inches. A lovely service.

[Also see Resources page]

Blogs:

[If you see ** this means the blogger has been pregnant/had a baby since the miscarriage(s) and blogged about it. So you're not surprised by a trigger I will try to go through all of these periodically to update this part of the list. I know it can be discouraging early on to read about a pregnancy and newborn ("Why not me??") but if you look at this list, you will see that there is hope.]

Term Stillbirth and Infant Loss Blogs:Random Musings - full-term infant coded at birth and lived for four days (also, see above...)Jacob's Story - full-term infant unexpectedly born without a trachea died at birth.**

Thank you for visiting. If you have a comment or question you are not comfortable leaving in a comment box, then feel free to e-mail me directly. We appreciate the opinions of others, but would remind you to present them with Christian charity.

The Lament of Rachel

Thus says the LORD: “A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping. Rachel is weeping for her children; she refuses to be comforted for her children, because they are no more.” -Jeremiah 31:15

The title?

In 2011 my son, my sixth child, died at just under 13 weeks gestation and was born about three weeks later. We found out he had died on the Feast of St. Innocent (March 31). He had been due about the date of the second feast of St. Innocent (October 6). As it turned out, we buried him on the first old calendar feast of St. Innocent (April 13). It should be no wonder that we named him Innocent. And really, all of our lost babies are little innocents. Previously I had never had any problems in pregnancy so with his death I also experienced a loss of innocence. Since then, we have lost three more babies: another son at 13 weeks, a third baby at 11 weeks and a fourth at 6 weeks. "It can't happen to me" became "It happened to me".

Purpose of this blog

When I was facing a miscarriage in 2011, I realized quickly that the information available online was incomplete. Sending out a plea via my blog, I gratefully received a tremendous amount of practical information and encouragement. I decided I wanted to make that information available to others in a safe format. In addition, by providing it I wanted to encourage women to deliver their babies as naturally as possible. I am an Orthodox Christian matushka so this site will be from an Orthodox perspective although all are welcome. If you have questions, comments or ideas to improve this site, you may contact me at lostinnocentsorthodox@gmail.com.

Important medical disclaimer:

This should not constitute medical advice. My background is 13 years of nursing including gynecology, but I am NOT a doctor. Be sensible and if you find yourself in a situation that worries you please call your doctor or midwife. If you have a life-threatening situation or one that will become life-threatening, please call 911. However badly you may feel, your life is important and you should not deny yourself care.